Women's Health/Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner
Scope of Practice
Overview
The Women’s Health/Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner (WHGRNP) is a Registered Nurse prepared at the master’s degree level as a nurse practitioner, whose focus is the care of women across the lifespan. The WHGRNP is a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology and provides gynecological services including well-woman care, health education, contraceptive counseling and prenatal care. Women’s Health/Gender-Related Nurse Practitioners practice under rules and regulations of state boards of nursing.
Credentials and Certification
Graduation from the MSN program prepares you for licensure and “approval to practice” as a Registered Nurse (RN) in every state. You also will be eligible to sit for examination for the applicable certification, and eligible for prescriptive authority in all 50 states, with restrictions as specified by each state. Visit Credentialing and Certification for specific information.
Functions Performed by the Women’s Health/Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner
In addition to general functions performed by the Advanced Practice Nurse, the Women’s Health/Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner may also provide these functions:
- Health and wellness counseling
- Contraceptive care
- STD screening and follow up
- Pregnancy testing and care before, during and after pregnancy
- Evaluation and treatment of common infections
- Care before and after menopause
Practice and Education Guidelines
Vanderbilt School of Nursing follows guidelines for WHGRNP education jointly published by the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH) and Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN). Learn more about the profession from these organizations.
